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E. J. MURPHY INDICATOR v Filed Oct. 30, 1925 Sept. 22, 1925.

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b5 His fl-tT L-J- Patented Sept. 22, 1925.

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Application filed October 30,1923. Serial no. 671,743.

1T0 all whom itmay concern: 1 1

Be itwknownthat I, EDWIN JQMURPHY, acitizenofithe United States,residing at Schenectady, inthe county of Schenectady,

M5 State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Indicators,

of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to indicators, and has for its object the provisionof a system it of markings on the moving member of an indicator wherebythe direction in which the moving -member must be moved to be broughtback to zero may be easily and quickly determined, and also the approxi-'16 mate distance of the moving member from zero. 1 i a a My inventionhas general application to the moving members of indicators which itisdesired to turn to zero position, as for instance in systems :for movinga controlled .object-in accordance with the movements of a controlling"object, wherein an indicator is provided to show the angular relationof the objects, the movement applied to the controlled object beingsuitably applied to the moving member of the indicator so as to returnit to zero. Such a system is shown for example in U. S. Patent No.1,040,161 to Dawson and Buckham, and is sometimes known as zero readersystem. My invention, however, has obviously various other applications.It has particular application where the moving member of the indicatoris in the form of a drum or dial which may be suitably graduated andread against a stationary mark. It is sometimes desirable or necessaryto enclose the indicator in a casing so that only a small portion of themoving member in the vicinity of the stationary mark is visible. In suchcase, when the zero mark of the moving member is not in view, a mentalcalculation must be made from the observed graduations to determine theproper direction of movement required to return the moving member tozero.

In carrying out my invention I provide a series of marks on the movingmember of the indicator for designating the direction in which themember must be moved to bring it back to zero. These marks are alsoarranged to give a rough indication of the required movement.

For a more complete understanding of my invention reference should behad to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of=anindicating dial embodying my-invention; while Fig. 2.is.a planflviewshowing theudial of Fig. 1 embodiedin an instrument with only asmallportion of the dial inview. 1 i 1 0 Referring to the drawing, Ihaveshown my invention in one form. as applied to an indicating dial 10.It should beunderstood,

however, that myinvention is equallyfapplicable 'to rotaryindicating-members of various other forms, such. las' drum shap'ed.

The dial 10 is provided with suitable scale -mark ngs around itsperiphery. As shown, -the dlal is graduated in degrees. Cooperating withthe dial is astationary referencc a 'mark 11. In one of itsapplications, the dial may be driven to indicate the angularposition ofa controlled object with respect to a controlling object. For example,the dial maybedriven by a suitable motion repeater- 7 device, suitablemeans being provided to turn the dial to fzeroposition when thecontrolled object is moved into .angularz'agreement with the controllingobject. In short, the dial mayshow theangular position ofa controlledobject with relation to a controlling object, and when the controlledobject has been moved into angular agreement with the first, the dialstands on zero. Obviously when the entire dial is in view the directionto zero position can be determined at a glance;

In case it is desirable or necessary for various reasons to have in viewa relatively small section of the dial only, then it will 9 be observedthat the direction to zero posi tion must be calculated from thegraduations in view. This obviously requires a certain amount of mentalefi'ort. Errors and delays may therefore result. In accordance with myinvention I suitably inscribe a series of pointers or V-shaped marks 12around the dial. The points of theV-shaped marks indicate the directionof the required movement of the dial to zero position. Starting fromzero position, it will be observed that the marks point in oppositedirections and meet at 180. The lengths of the marks are madeproportional to the angular distance from zero position, and also theangle of the marks becomes more acute as the distance from zero positionincreases. It will also be observed that the marks point away from zeroand toward the oppositely situated position. With 1 the dial thus markedthe goperator can ininstantly determine without mental efio-rt thedirection of movement to be applied to be understood tha t I do notlimit my 'i-nven- -tion thereto, since various fmodifications thereofwill suggest themselves "to those --ski1led in the :art without='d'eparting from -20qthe spirit :of my inventiomwthe scope of which-isset forth in the annexed'claims.

What I claim asnewan-d desire'to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is 2-- 1. indicator :comprising' a movable member, a-covertherefor provided with an aperture through which a portion of saidmember-isvisible, and a series ofmarks on the portion iof said membermoving under said :a'perture' arranged to indicate the direc- @tion 1 ofT movement srcquired 'jto bring 1 said :member: to a-predeterminedposition.

'2."A11J indicator comprising a movable -me1n ber, :a covertherefonprovided with an aperture through which a portion of saidemmember-is visible,:and a series'of ma-rks on the portion of saidmember moving under said aperture arranged to indicate the direction ofmovement required to bring said v member to a predetermined position andmarks being relatively arranged :to indicate the amount and direction ofr movement requiredto bringsaid member toFa predeter- ::mi'ned position.

,Q a 1 60 4; indicator comprising a rotatable graduated1-nd1cat1ng:"d1al, :a stationary mark, a casing for said rdial providedwith anaperture through which aiportion of said dial is visible,"and'mark's on said dial for 1 indicating the direction and amount ofmovement required to bring the dial to -zero position;

:5. An indicator comprising a rotatable graduated indicating dia1,acasing for :said 1 dial provided with an aperture through which aportion ofsaid dial is visible, and

a series of V-shaped xmarks :"on: said dial pointing "in the directionofmovement 1 required to bring the dial to zeroposition thef' tangle ofsaid .-'V shaped marks varying with the distance from zero pos'ition;

Inwitnesswhereof, I have hereunto set myhand-this 29th day of October,1923 v EDWIN JQMURPI-IY.

